Liquid-supply system



March l2, 1929. J. w. JACKSON LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed Aug. '7, 1923 Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. JACKSON, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MOISTENING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

LIQUID-SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Application filed August 7, 1923. Serial No. 656,240.

This invention relates to improvements in liquid supply systems. More particularly it has been developed for group control of centrifugal hiiniiditier's, so as to render them quickly responsive to stopping and starting impulses under local or remote control, manual or automatic.

1n hiimidifiers of this type there is a constantly rotating electric motor and fan; and there is a constantly rotating disk on the same shaft therewith, adapted to form and to throw a film of water centrifugally for its mechanical break-up into small particles by impact with atomiI/iiiig blades. Each unit has a well, which may be a simple piece of upright piping a few inches long, from which water is drawn to its rotating disk. rthe obvious means for stopping the humiditying action, as is desired intermittently, is to close a valve in the supply pipe leading to the said well. The atoniizing then stops when the water in the well has become exhausted. It is an object of the invention to provide other means, capable of controlling all of a series of huniidiliers simultaneously, so as to stop or to start them all by a single and possibly remote control device; to have this device such that it can be operated under automatic control; and to provide for practically instantaneous response to the stopping and starting impulses of the control apparatus. These ends are attained by piping arrangements coordinated with the hiiniidilier's and the water supply, by which the torre of gravity is eiiipto \,'ed for ali-n iftractingfj the water froni all of the hiiinidi lier wells simultaneously, to a, pndeterminerl degree which is sutlicient to stop their operation; and for restoring it when operation is to be resumed, The principles and details of construction will appear in the description which follows. The apparatus of the invention will naturally be designed in various ways depending upon the relative locations` where the humidifying units are to be located. ln ordinary cases these units will be all at a uniform level, or within a few inches of it, as, for example, in the various rooms of a building which are on the same floor level, although in special cases single huinidiers may be considerably higher. However, there may be a great variety in suoli designs and it is to be understood that the particular system shown is only illustrative. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed, within the general scope of the above stated/objects, it being understood that the type of construction of hun'iiditier, and the broad idea of feeding the same with a single line of piping did not originate with me.

iii the areoiiipanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation showing an installation of a liuinidifying system einbodying lmy invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of a part of the saine on a larger scale, showing details of the water control; and

Figure 3 is a medial vertical section through a two-way valve which may be used iii the water control, showing water pas sages.

Referring to the drawings, the several humidifying units illustrated are of the centrifugal type, iii which water is drawn from a well 12 to a rotor disk 1t (Fig. 2) which films and throws it against a multiplicity of fixed blades (not shown), thus atoniizing it to fine fog-like paiticles suitable for absorption iii and distribution about the room by a blast of air provided by a fan within the casing l5 (Fig. l). ln the particular style illustrated the fan, rotor and water pump 1H are all assembled on the vertical shaft 1G of an elertrie moior 1T; but the invention is applicable to other arrangrments, as for eX- :iinple where the shaft is horizontal and it, may `ilso be applied to certain other types ot' luiniidiliers. Vi'hcnevei' it is desireil to slop the liuniidifyingl during regular service, it is usually desired to continue the runninr oi the tan, for circulation of air. Heneii the obvious method of turning off the electric current is not available. In the system illustrated, water is maintained at constant level iii the several humidifying units, when they are operating as humiditiers, by supplying their se Yeral wells from an open tank 22 having a ball-float valve which controls the tank supply 24, so as to keep the water in the tank at a predetermined level L-L c-iiri'esi'ioiiding approximately to that at whicn the water is to stand in each indi iidual well. Each distributing pipe 20, which is the trunk supply pipe for a series of humiditiers, runs at a lower level, preferably fairly close to the bottom of the humidiliei's; but it could be set much lower, as, for extit) valve 26 in. its branch. connection, fromr the` distributing line; but if this is done the water already in the well will continue. to bef atomized and discharged into the air until exhausted. This will' ordinarilyv take seva eral minutes, and during` that. time the h umidityadded tothe airl may be more than is wanted, and may even cause serious trouble.

The present invention while not displacing such means for discontinuing the supply of water, seeks to provide other means for stopping the humidifying, and for doing so practically instantaneously. This is donc by abstracting the Water from the pump. It is a further feature to remove the Water without loss of any appreciable quantity thereof; and to replace it for quick starting at'will. To these ends there is provided in the trunk supply pipe, at any convenient point, a two-Way valve 28 having one passage leading through the valve, from tank to trunk line and thus to humidiliers while Vthe second way isclosed; and having its second passage connecting the trunk line with a drain, While the supply to the trunk line from the tankis closed.y By this means'the Water can be drained-outl ofthe wells l2, resulting, if-'the drain leddownward from the valve, in emptying.- the trunk line pipe andwells. It isr aifurthier feature to intro duce, an upward loop SQto provide a limited drain Theheight=of`tlris loop is such as to determine a level Z'-Z of water, herein called thie standfb'yr level, below which water williremain inthetru-nk line pipe and the drainage from the Wellsy is stopped just below the reach oftheir several pumps.

Vhen the humiditiers are to be operated the two-way valve 28 is set so that there is a passage through it from the tank to the severalwells; and the connectionthrough the loo-p 30 to the limited drain 32 is closed. Vhen it is desired to stop the humidifier discharge of Water, the two-way valve is shifted, either manually or by automatic apparatus-34,- which may be of any well known or suitable type ordinarily controlled by a hnmidistat (notshown) and operating b v compressed airor by electricity. The type illustrated isassumed to be-controlled by How o-f-compressedairthrough pipe 33 from the humidistat to a diaphragm motor 34 whose plunger isconnected by a bell crank lever 36 to the stem of the two-way valve 28; The shifting of the valve shuts off the iiow from the tan-k (see Figure and throws the portion of the trunk* line Q0 which is on the hnm-idierside of valve Q8 open to the vertical'limbof the loop 301leading to the drain. Discharge flow immediately begins and the water in the wells instantly falls from the level L--L to the levelI Z-Z. The amount of water flow involved in this is very small'if the wells are mere verticalipipes an inch or;V soin diameten as: they preferably are. Flow then ceases. Siphon action may beprevented by a vent to atmosphere from the top of the loop, as by pipe 30a. The trunk line pipe 20 remains filled and water remains standing in the lower parts of wells, preferably at the maximum height at which it can stand with security that it willnot be picked up by the continuously rotating pump.

The time for escape of water is thus reduced to a minimum, since the amount discharged is so small, causing stoppage of the humidifying action almost simultaneously with the shifting ofthe two-u ay valve. Upon this valve being oppositely shifted, so as to connect the tank to the trunk line, the water in the wells need only risc from the low or stand-by level Z-Z to that L-L of the watery in the tank, in order for the pump to begin taking itrto the rotor. This rise takes place very quickly under gravity pressure of the higher water level in the tank; and the atomizing atonce follows. As a result the time required to change the water level in the wells is practically negligible. And since the operation of all the humiditiers is affected simultaneously, uniform distribution of moisture throughout the room is controlled readily, with rapid response of the apparatus to changed conditions whenever detected by the automatic apparatus, or whenever the control is operatedlfy hand, Without disturbing the air. circulation, and with a minimum wastage of water.

Although illustrated as it may be applied with a piping system and a series ofA humidifying units, the broader aspects of the invention are not limited to that; for it can be used with a single unit, suitable arrangements being made, as on the principles above explained, to raise or lower the level at which well water stands, to and from predetermined elevations. In this connection it will b'c understood that the well drainage which is provided not necessarily arranged to take the water out ofthe system; but that it is sufficient if the level .of'supply water is so readjusted thatfit stands below the reach of the Water lifting device of ther humidifier; and any device that will bring that about may serve.

Moreover the term well is to be taken` in a broadsense as indicating any local receptacle orsource from which the water or other liquid is liftedl or otherwise flows, upward or downward, to the apparatus. In the case of the centrifugal,humiditiers described it is most convenient to have this below the rotor, but the use ofthe term Well7 does not signify that it is necessarilyk Ll i) so located. Nor is the invention limited to use with centrifugal humiditiers, nor indeed, to the particular` liquid, water, with which humiditierr-i are ordinarily operated; but the water is typical of any liquid with which thel humiditier may be operated, and the references to liuniidiliers are to be taken as standing for any aqiparatnsy in which the liquid is wanted intermittently, rather than as restrictive, unless a contrary meaning` appears necessary.

I claim as my invention:

l. A liquid supply system for apparatus, comprising, in combination, a constant-level reservoir, remote from the' apparatus; a local supply well at the apparatus` connected willi the reservoir and adapted to hold liquid from the reservoir at the reservoir level; a limited drain for the well and its said connection, positioned and connected to drain the well, the limit beingi at a stand-by level; and iliter-connected valve means controlling l-'oth the supply from reservoir and the said drain. adapted for simultaneous shut-ottl of the reservoir supply and opening of said drain.

2. A liquid supply system for apparatus, camprisinjgj, in combination, reservoir relatively remote therefrom, in which liquid is maintained at a constant supply level; a local well, for the immediate supply of the apparatus, adapted to hold liquid at the level of said constant supply, and connected with the reservoir; a standby drain for said well, arranged at a level which is close below the said supply level, which drain adapted, when open, to drain the liquid in said well down to said standby level; and ititel-connected valves operating simultaneously and oppositeiy, the one closingr when the other opens, controlling respectively the said,connection from reservoir and the said drain,

Il, The combination, in a system comprising a well and means for lifting' liquid there from, of a system of piping' for supplying' said well maintained full of said liquid; a device for changing the level at which liquid is maintained in the well, between au elevation at which it is within reach of said lifting means and an elevation at which it is not within reach thereof, comprising a non--siphonie drain at a level close below the lowest level at which the liquid is within reach of said lifting means; and means to open and close the drain.

4. ln a supply system for apparatus requiriucr liquid intermittently, the construction of a local well arranged for flow of the liquid thence to the apparatus, with means for uaiintaining; a remote liquid supply at a predetermiued level; a pipe thence to the well, whereby the liquid may be fed thereto by gravity, to the same level in the well; a drain for said well, normally closed, comprising' a loop rising from said pipe and descending; to a discharge, with the crest of the loop vented to air and. arranged at a level too low for said flow from well to apparatus to occur; and means for closing said pipe and opening' sain drain, whereby the well liquid falls to said crest level.

5. A hu iidifying system comprising in combination a humidifier having means for lifting water to be atomized; supply means for normally maintaining the water at the liumidiiier at a predetermined level within reach of the lifting` means; and control means for simultaneously cutting olf the supply and witherawing water at the humidifier, to bringthe water at the humiditier to a second predetermined level which is below the elfcctive reach of the lifting means thereby stopping` atomization.

t3. ln a system comprising a well and means for tlow of liquid therefrom to be atomized. the combination of apparatus for maintaining` a liquid supply at a predetermined level; a pipe thence to the well, whereby liquid may be fed thereto by gravity, to the .ame level therein; a nonsiphonie drain from said pipe, normally closed; there being in said drain a loop rising from the pipe to a certain level whereby the liquid is maintained in said well at a level below the possibility of said low when the drain is open.

7. A liquid supply system for a plurality of humiditiers each having"y a local well for the liquid and means to lift the liquid therefrom to be atomized, comprising in combination a reservoir relatively remote therefrom in which liquid is maintained at a constant level, a pipe thence to said local wells for maintaining liquid therein at said level, and nir-:ins associated with said pipe whereby the ,supply from said re-1erv0ir is cut ottl and the liquid in each said local well simultaneously withdrawn through the pipe, below .said livel, to stop the aomization.

8. A liquid supply system for apparatus, comprising, in combination, a constant-level reservoir; a supply' well at the apparatus, connected with the reservoir and adapted to hold liquid therefrom at the reservoir-level for operation of the apparatus; a limited drain for the well and its connection, the limit being at a stand-by level close below the limit where said apliiaratus becomes inoperative `lor lack of supply; and interconnected valve means controllingr simultaneously the supply from reservoir and the said drain from well.

Signed at Boston, lvlassaehusetts, this twenty-fifth day of April, 1923.

JOHN lV. JACKSON. 

